Toy Designing/Making : Introduction

Toy designing/making is a massive field. A career in toy designing has much
scope as toys are vital to a child's
growth and development. As long as there are babies and children around there will be
a need for toys- Toys expand the realm of imagination, and toy designers play an important role
in the entertainment and education of children. Toy designing is a culmination
of two qualities - creativity and ability to understand children or user needs. Playing is the means by which children have fun, learn things more easily and become
creative.

Toys and games have a great role to play in self learning. Toys help in boosting
up problem solving skills in children and makes them self reliant. It helps the children to
develop their imagination and fantasies. There
are different kinds of toys - toys that teach, that are games for the family
and those that are just fun and play. In the case of adults, toys and games
enhance
the quality of life and improves the developmental and physical aspects. Toys in
ancient times used to be made of natural
products such as wood, stone and clay, indeed the first yo-yo's are recorded to
have been made of clay discs. Today, toys are
often made from plastic, fur and other synthetic materials.

Toy designers are those who design and create toys. Toy designers work
starts with drawing, sketching or making a computer model of the concept,
deciding how to make each component and then creating a prototype of the
toy. They design toys keeping in view the two market sectors: children,
who play with it and those customers who are collectors of toys. The complexity
of toys can vary, from simple dolls with no movable parts to complex mechanical
sets with configurable moving parts. Toy designers create toys like board
games, puzzles, computer games, stuffed animals, remote-control cars,
infant toys, and dolls.

While designing toys, Toy designers need to be aware of the market trend for toys and
the needs and
wants of the different age groups. To become a
toy designer one should be a child at heart. For little ones, fun toys and
building blocks; for school age groups materials that fit in the curriculum; for
the group of teenagers and collectors more classic and intellectually
valuable toys is preferred.

Toy design is multidisciplinary in nature. It revolves around the elements of
product design, animation and human psychology. Knowledge in graphic design, mechanical drawing, and color usage is essential
for success in this field. Toy designers work with child experts in determining
the requirement of each age level and create toys suited for each group. The success
of toy designers depends on their ability to understand the market and develop
beautiful, entertaining, imaginative and safe toys.